The vicariates of the Diocese of Tarlac were represented, not just by the youth delegates, but by members of the Tarlac clergy who came in full force.
TARLAC, Oct. 28, 2013—Capping off the Tarlac Diocesan Youth Day (DYD), the diocese’s chancellor told young people not to repeat the same mistakes of their elders, but to instead learn from them.
Loving reminders
“Forgive us if we are fond of giving sermons. We just don’t want you to repeat the same mistakes we made. Don’t go on the same wrong paths we’ve been on,” Chancellor and Secretary to the Bishop of Tarlac Fr. Melvin Castro said during the closing mass of the DYD yesterday at the San Sebastián Cathedral.
In behalf of parents, the clergy and other figures of authority, he also asked for forgiveness from the 1,500 DYD participants for the lack of explanations from older people on why they forbid young people from doing a lot of things.
“We don’t want you to get hurt, if it’s possible for you not to go down that road. This is why we sometimes get repetitive. That’s how much we love you. We don’t want you to make mistakes or get hurt,” said Fr. Castro, who is also the Executive Secretary of the CBCP – Episcopal Commission on Family and Life.
Hope of the future and the present
According to him, young people are not just the “hope of the future”, but so much more.
“The saying, ‘Youth are the hope of the future’, is not true. Don’t wait for it. You are not the hope of the future only, you are the hope of the present,” Fr. Castro, who is also the founder of the Confraternity of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace, explained.
In connection to the DYD’s theme, “Cor Novum, Spiritus Novus” (New Heart, New Spirit), he encouraged the delegates to start being hard-working and being people of integrity while they are young, so that when they become “senators, congressmen” and hold positions of power in the future, they will do well.
Members of the clergy came in full force to support their youth delegates.
Fr. Christian Ian Fernandez of the vicariate of Immaculate Conception; Fr. Ruben Espinosa of the vicariate of San Sebastian; Fr. Jesus Gragasin, parish priest of the San Sebastian parish; Fr. Vely Lapitan of the vicariate of the Immaculate Conception, Victoria; Fr. Hector Pamintuan Jr., parish priest of Our Lady of Ransom Parish, Matatalaib, Tarlac; and Fr. John Perez, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Tarlac City concelebrated the final DYD mass with Fr. Castro.
Delegates of this year’s DYD were top youth leaders from the different vicariates, the Federation of National Youth Organizations, Catholic schools and universities. [Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz]
